World Investor Week (WIW), a week-long global event organized by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), aims to raise awareness of the importance of investor education and protection. In accordance with the unified arrangements of the IOSCO, the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) plans to organize a special investor education campaign for "World Investor Week 2025" from October 20th to 24th, 2025. The campaign will focus on three main themes: "Technology and Digital Finance," "Artificial Intelligence (AI)," and "Fraud Prevention."

On the occasion of "World Investor Week 2025," our company would like to introduce some financial investment knowledge to help you avoid financial investment traps. (Note: The following case is from the China Securities Investor Protection Fund)

I. "XX Investment Bureau" fabricates an overseas platform to buy domestic funds; investors discover it's a virtual trading platform after depositing funds.

An investor received a phone call from someone claiming to be a staff member of "XX Investment Bureau," who stated they were a "qualified overseas investor with special approval" and could "purchase high-quality domestic funds on their behalf" through a dedicated overseas platform, "avoiding domestic subscription limits and enjoying an extra 15% annualized return," urging them to "deposit funds as soon as possible, as there are only 50 spots available." The investor registered on the platform as instructed and deposited 20,000 yuan to purchase a certain fund product. After some time, the investor wanted to redeem part of the funds but found the withdrawal button was inaccessible. When contacting customer service, they were told it was "system maintenance" and then became unreachable. Later, the investor checked through the fund manager's official channels and discovered they were not a holder of the fund. Upon logging back into the platform, all "fund holdings" data had disappeared, revealing that the platform was a virtual trading platform and the 20,000 yuan had been absconded with by the institution.

II. The "3x Return" Scam is a hoax; the real issue is Photoshopped images.

Investors were attracted by an advertisement from XXX New Media Technology Co., Ltd. while browsing financial websites. The page claimed "Exclusive quantitative strategies, 3x returns are not a dream," and included multiple screenshots showing "clients' holdings yielding 300% profits." Customer service explained, "The company collaborates with top private equity firms, possessing core stock selection models. After signing a contract, we provide daily precise buy signals, and losses are covered by our professional team."

Enthusiastic, investors signed an agreement, paying 5980 yuan for a quarterly service and being added to a "core strategy group." For the first three days, the stocks recommended in the group did indeed rise slightly. Customer service indicated that a certain stock was about to surge, urging investors to "increase their investment."

After investors added 100,000 yuan, the target stock plummeted 15% the next day, and other recommended stocks subsequently experienced consecutive limit-down days. Investors discovered that the screenshots of the so-called "3x returns" were all Photoshopped, and the "profitable clients" in the group were actually company employees. Investors requested refunds, but customer service delayed, citing "unexpected market fluctuations."

A week later, the company became completely unreachable, and its official website was inaccessible. Only then did the investors realize they had fallen victim to an illegal stock recommendation scam.

III. "Internal Operations" are a Scam; Identity Theft is the Real Agenda

Investors were attracted by an online post claiming "XXXX Internal Operations." The poster, posing as a senior manager of XXXX Securities Asset Management Co., Ltd. (a legitimate company), claimed that the company, having been "fined hundreds of millions of yuan," was organizing retail investors to "collaborately drive up stock prices" through personal accounts. This would circumvent regulations and allow investors to double their profits through "discounted subscriptions."

Intrigued, the investors added the manager's contact information. The manager proactively sent photos of "XXXX employee badges" and "internal operating plans," claiming, "We currently hold a certain new energy stock. After retail investors buy it, the company will inject funds to drive the price up to the daily limit, and selling at the high point the next day will yield a 20% profit."

To gain trust, the manager showed screenshots of other clients' profits and emphasized that "only 20 spots are available, and a 100,000 yuan 'risk deposit' is required to secure your participation." Believing this, the investor transferred 100,000 yuan to a personal account provided and purchased designated stocks according to the "investment advice."

The next day, the stock price fell instead of rising. When the investor tried to contact the manager again, they found they had been blocked. Panicked, the investor called the official customer service of XXXX Securities Asset Management Co., Ltd. to verify. Customer service clearly stated: "The person you mentioned is not an employee of our company, and our company has never conducted such business. You have likely encountered a scam impersonating our company. We suggest you report it to the police immediately."

The investor discovered that the "internal manipulation" and "regulatory evasion" were all scams, and the 100,000 yuan was completely lost.